Horror visual novels Horror Short horror

Portrait of a Ghost

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He fakes photographs of the dead. This time the ghost is real.

Platforms: Browser, PC, Mac, Linux
Stores: itch.io
Price: Pay what you want
Rated: 4.9 out of 5 on itch.io (106 ratings)
Length: under an hour
Players: 1
Controls: Mouse: click to read, choose and point at the scene
Made by: ENDYSIS (music and sound by Calamanser)
Released: 2024

What frightens Arthur Hope fakes photographs of the dead for grieving clients, until a pale girl appears in the rain and a ghost turns up in his pictures for real. Old-photo art, a cold touch that should feel of rot, and themes of death, being burned and buried alive and body horror.
Content: death and grief, body horror, burned and buried alive (mentioned), mild scares.

Portrait of a Ghost is a short gothic horror visual novel by ENDYSIS, made in a week for Scream Jam 2024. Arthur Hope, a spirit photographer who fakes pictures of the departed for grieving clients, learns that ghosts may be more real than he thought. It has four endings and plays free in the browser.

About Portrait of a Ghost

Portrait of a Ghost was made by ENDYSIS, who did the photography, art, story and programming, with music and sound by Calamanser, in one week for Scream Jam 2024. It is a Ren'Py visual novel, free to play in the browser or download for Windows, macOS and Linux.

Arthur Hope is a spirit photographer: he claims his camera can capture images of the departed. At least, that is what he would like you to believe. Any price is worth paying to see a loved one's face again, and Arthur is happy to take it. Then, on a rainy street, a girl appears with no umbrella and no carriage, and ghosts turn out to be more real than he realised.

You read the story in Arthur's voice over hand-drawn portraits framed like old photographs, newspaper clippings about spirit photography and public-domain historical images, with a little pointing and clicking. Your choices lead to one of four endings. Its maker describes an awful protagonist and an adorable ghost, and the mood moves between gothic sadness and dread.

The maker warns of death and grief, body horror, mentions of being burned and buried alive, mild scares and unsettling images. At about 5,000 words it is a short read. It suits fans of gothic ghost stories and short horror visual novels like Inside the Box or Curse of the Juniper Tree.

How to play Portrait of a Ghost

Open the game's itch.io page and press Run game, or download it for the smoothest play.
Click to read Arthur's story.
Make choices when they appear, and click on the scene when the game asks you to look.
Replay to find all four endings, using the maker's ending guide if you want.